CHAPTER XVII. [i.e., xvi.]
A VOYAGE MADE TO THE STE. CROIX RIVER, AND THE DEATH OF THE SAGAMORE, MEMBERTOU.
TOWARD the end of the month of August of the same year, 1611, sieur de Biencourt having heard that the ship of Captain Plastrier, from the town of Honfleur, was engaged in fishing at the Port aux Coquilles,[36] twenty-one leagues Westward from Port Royal, decided to go and find him, to recommend to him one of his men, whom he wished to send back to France with letters, [156] to urge the expected help, and to represent their pitiable condition. Father Biard accompanied him, and they encountered this ship so opportunely, that if they had been eight minutes later, their chance would have been lost; for already it was unfurling its sails to return to France. When we had boarded it, we learned that Captain Platrier had decided to pass the Winter on the Island of sainte Croix, and that he [Sieur de Biencourt] would get his fifth therefrom. This news made sieur de Biencourt resolve to go to Sainte Croix at once, before Captain Platrier had means of fortifying himself: for he wished to collect from him the Fifth of all his merchandise and trade, for wintering in the country. The Island of Sainte Croix is six leagues from Port aux Coquilles, in the middle of a river.
[157] Doncques le sieur de Biencourt y vint, accompagné de huict personnes, & y entra en armes, ayant [200] laissé le P. Biard en vn bout de l'Isle, sur des roches attendant l'euenement, parce que ledict Pere auoit conuenu auec ledict sieur, qu'en cas d'aucune inuasion, ou actes de guerre, ou force contre les François, il seroit delaissé en quelque lieu à l'escart, en telle façon, qu'vn chacun peust sçauoir, qu'il estoit amy de tous les deux partys, & qu'il s'entremettroit fort volontiers pour accorder les differents, mais nullement pour estre partialiste.
[157] Accordingly sieur de Biencourt went to this place, accompanied by eight people, and, well-armed, marched into the place, having left Father Biard in one end of the Island upon the rocks, awaiting the outcome; because the Father had arranged with the sieur, that in case of any invasion, or warlike act or force against the French, he should be left in some place apart, so that every one might know that he was a friend of both parties, and that he would very willingly interpose to make peace between those at variance, but under no circumstances would he take sides with either.
Dieu mercy, tout passa heureusement: Platrier nous traicta le mieux qu'il peut: Et à son ayde le sieur de Biencourt recouura vne barque, laquelle estoit à Port aux Coquilles, auec laquelle il s'en retourna à Port Royal, où [158] on trouua nouuelle besongne: car Henry Membertou, le Sagamo de Sauuages, qui premier d'iceux auoit receu le S. Baptesme, estoit venu de la Baye saincte Marie, pour se faire penser d'vne maladie, qui l'auoit surprins. Le pere Enemond Massé l'auoit logé dans sa petite Cabane, au lict mesme du P. Biard, & là le seruoit comme vn sien pere & domestique. Le P. Biard trouuant ce malade dans son lict, fut bien ayse de l'occasion de charité, que Dieu luy enuoyoit: Et tous deux se mirent à le seruit de iour, & de nuict, sans qu'autre quelconque les y soulageast, hors l'Apoticaire Hebert, qui apportoit des medecines, & viandes qu'il luy falloit dõner. Vne de leurs plus grandes peines estoit de tãt couper & aporter de bois qu'il en falloit pour le iour, & la nuict: Car la nuict commençoit à estre [159] bien frilleuse, & tousiours il falloit bon feu, à cause de la mauuaise senteur, d'autant que c'estoit la dysenterie. Au bout de cinq, ou six iours de tel seruice, la femme, & la fille dudict Membertou vindrent à luy, à cause [202] dequoy le P. Biard pria le sieur de Biencourt de faire changer le malade en quelque autre des cabanes de l'habitation, puis qu'il y en auoit deux ou trois vuides; parce qu'il n'estoit ny beau, ny bien seant que des femmes fussent iour, & nuict en leur cabane: & moins encores qu'elles n'y fussent, estans la femme, & la fille du malade. D'autre part, la cabane estoit si petite, que quand on y estoit quatre assemblez, lon ne s'y pouuoit tourner.
Thank God, all passed off happily: Platrier treated us as well as he could: and with his aid, sieur de Biencourt recovered a barque, which was at Port aux Coquilles, with which he returned to Port Royal, where [158] a new duty awaited them: for Henry Membertou, the Sagamore of the Savages who was the first to receive Holy Baptism, had come from the Baye sainte Marie to have himself treated for a disease which had overtaken him. Father Enemond Massé had put him in his little Cabin, even in Father Biard's bed, and was there taking care of him like a father and servant. Father Biard, finding the patient in his bed, was very glad of this opportunity for charity, which God had sent him; and both set to work to attend him day and night, without any one else to relieve them in the work, except the Apothecary Hebert,[37] who brought medicines and food which were to be given him. One of their greatest hardships was to cut and carry all the wood that was needed day and night: for the nights began to be [159] quite chilly, and there always had to be a good fire on account of the bad odor, for the disease was dysentery. At the end of five or six days of such service, the wife and daughter of Membertou came to stay with him, and so Father Biard begged sieur de Biencourt to have the invalid moved to some of the other cabins of the settlement, since there were two or three of them empty; for it was neither good nor quite seemly that there should be women in the cabin day and night; and still less that they should not be there, being the wife and daughter of the sick man. On the other hand, the cabin was so small, that when four persons were in it; they could not turn around.
Ces raisons estoient par trop euidentes, mais ledict sieur ne fut pas d'aduis, qu'on remuast le malade en aucune des cabanes de [160] l'habitation, ains luy en fit dresser vne au dehors, où le malade fut transporté. Ce changement ne luy profita point: car il deteriora déslors manifestement, & mourut quatre ou cinq iours apres. Ce neantmoins les Iesuites ne mãquerẽt iamais de l'aider, & assister, luy fournissants toutes choses à leur possible: & le seruants iusques à sa mort. Ce bon Sauuage s'estant confessé, & receu l'extreme-onction dit au sieur de Biencourt, qu'il vouloit estre enterré auec ses peres & progeniteurs. Le P. Biard resista fort à ceste proposition, l'admonestant ne luy estre loisible estant Chrestien de vouloir estre enterré auec des Payẽs damnés; veu mesmes qu'en cela il bailleroit vn grand scandale, d'autant que les Sauuages oyants, & voyants qu'il n'auroit voulu estre enterré auecques nous; facilemẽt [161] entreroyent en soupçon qu'il n'auroit esté Chrestien, que par apparence. En tout cas, que tout cela sembleroit tousiours vn mespris de la sepulture Chrestienne, &c. Le sieur de Biencourt repliqua pour Membertou qu'on feroit benir le lieu, & qu'on l'auoit ainsi promis audit Membertou. Le P. Biard respondit, [204] que cela ne se pouuoit faire: d'autant que pour benir ledit lieu il faudroit deterrer les Payens y enseuelis, ce qui seroit pour se faire abominer de tous les Sauuages, & sentiroit par trop son impieté. Les raisons ne seruoyent de rien, parce que le malade estimant que le sieur de Biencourt fust de son costé, persistoit en sa deliberation. Le P. Biard pour leur donner à entendre que cest affaire estoit plus important, qu'ils ne pensoyent, leur denonça, que cest enterrement se feroit [162] sans luy, & qu'il le leur donnoit à entendre dés lors, protestant qu'il renonçoit à tous tels conseils, & resolutions, & sur ce s'en alla. Toutesfois, à ce que le malade ne pensast, que ce qu'estoit deuoir & charité ne fust cholere; il reuint en moins d'vn' heure apres, & retourna seruir le malade comm' au parauant. Dieu fauorisa son bon dessein, car le matin suiuant le Sauuage de soy mesme changea d'aduis, & dit vouloir estre enterré au commun cemetiere des Chrestiens, à fin de tesmoigner à tous sa foy, & pouuoir estre participãt des prieres, qu'il y auoit veu faire. Il mourut en fort bõ Chrestien, & son decés contrista fort les Iesuites, car ils l'aimoyent, & estoyent aimés de luy reciproquement. Souuent il leur disoit: Apprenés tost nostre langage: car quand vous l'aurés apprins vous [163] m'enseignerez, & moy enseigné deuiendray prescheur cõme vous autres, nous conuertirons tout le pays. Les Sauuages n'ont pas memoire d'auoir eu iamais vn plus grand Sagamo ny plus autorisé. Il estoit barbu comm'vn François. Et pleust à Dieu, que tous les Frãçois fussent autãt auisés & discrets comm'il estoit. Tel est le recit veritable de la maladie, & mort de Membertou. Sur lequel ie ne m'amuseray pas plus [206] long temps à refuter les calomnies du factieux; estant assez & icy, & par tout conuaincu. Parquoy ie raconte la verité du faict sans perdre le temps à combattre les larues.
These considerations were only too evident, but the sieur was not inclined to have the patient removed to any of the cabins of [160] the settlement; but he had one put up outside, where the invalid was taken. This change did not do him any good, for he became evidently worse from that time on, and died four or five days later. Nevertheless, the Jesuits never failed to aid and attend him, furnishing everything they could, and waiting on him up to the time of his death. This good Savage, having confessed and received extreme unction, told sieur de Biencourt that he wished to be buried with his fathers and ancestors. Father Biard was very much opposed to this proposition, admonishing him that it was not lawful for him, a Christian, to wish to be buried with Heathen whose souls were to be lost; especially as in doing so he would cause great scandal, inasmuch as, when the Savages heard and saw that he had not wanted to be buried with us, they would readily [161] entertain the suspicion that he had been a Christian only in appearance. In any case, that all this would always seem like contempt for Christian burial, etc. Sieur de Biencourt replied for Membertou that they would have the burial place blessed, and that such a promise had been made to Membertou. Father Biard answered that that would not do; for, in order to bless the said place, they would have to disinter the Pagans who were buried there, which would cause them to be abominated by all the Savages, and would savor too much of impiety. These reasons did not avail, because the sick man, believing that sieur de Biencourt was on his side, persisted in his determination. In order to make them understand that this affair was of greater importance than they thought, Father Biard informed them that the interment would take place [162] without him, and he wanted them to understand it from that time on, protesting that he would have nothing to do with any such counsels and decisions, and thereupon he departed. However, so the sick man would not think that what was mere duty and charity was anger, he returned less than an hour afterwards, and began again to wait upon him as before. God looked kindly upon his good intention, for the next morning the Savage, of his own free will, changed his mind, and said that he wanted to be buried in the common burying ground of the Christians, to prove his faith to all, and to be able to participate in the prayers which he had there seen offered. He died a very good Christian, and his death greatly saddened the Jesuits, for they loved him, and were loved by him in return. He often said to them; "Learn our language quickly, for when you have learned it, you [163] will teach me; and when I am taught I will become a preacher like you, and we will convert the whole country." The Savages have no recollection of ever having had a greater or more powerful Sagamore. He was bearded like a Frenchman; and would to God that all the French were as circumspect and prudent as he was. Such is the true story of the sickness and death of Membertou. With it I shall no longer waste time in refuting the calumnies of the factionist, he being sufficiently convicted both here and elsewhere. Therefore I tell the truth of the thing, without losing time in fighting larvæ.[38]